


Troubled Mind

by MateriaWithin



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Civil War (Marvel), Gen, Marvel OC, Original Character - Freeform, POV Female Character, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), here we go fellas my first post, i say i love my oc then i proceed to hurt her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23048890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MateriaWithin/pseuds/MateriaWithin
Summary: Reality. One could only dream of controlling it, yet what are the real costs of that power? A young ex-member of SHIELD knows, now a rogue Avenger... It would mean the end of her world if anyone knew.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a side story of my Marvel OC, Chris.   
> It takes place just after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Yet, I honestly forgot when I wrote this, but it was a long while back. I decided to make this my first post because it is evidence of one of the first fics I’ve written. Please bare with me because I don’t know what else to write at the moment, and I’ve had this story saved. But I’m hoping to get back into writing again, so by looking at this I can maybe improve myself along the way! I really hope you enjoy this little plot regardless while I think of something in the meantime though. ^^

Tap. Tap. Tap... Tap. Tap.

The sound of boots treading along cracked cement is heard in the unnerving silence. Aside from the occasional commotion of passing cars. It was a cold, rainy night. An alley by the buildings of New York City was looming with shadiness. But, the darkness of it all was restless from a different perspective. 

Slight wheezing and coughing came from a young woman wandering the ally, limping from her injuries. It was wet and damp from a heavy downpour earlier. It was a slight drizzle now.

It has been a day since she had suddenly run away from the Avengers, it was just herself now for the time being.

Code name: Redshift. That’s what the world knew her by. She was starting to loathe it. The woman was rather distraught and distant, at the most unforeseen moments. But it was when that... Stone. It made all the difference in her life, forever.

Her mother, now dead. The events of the conflict between Steve and Tony have left a permanent taint. It happened so fast, it was inevitable. The smoke, the deathly silence at the moment.

Her father had apparently died from a mission with SHIELD a few years back, but even then, she didn’t know at the time and had found out a few weeks ago. He was considered “Missing in Action.”

Hydra.

She grimaced at the presumption.

She swore to kill them all.

She didn’t ask for this.

Reality could be bent, but not hers.

•••

She carried on. If nothing could change, then so be it.

Her steps were starting to falter, vision also starting to blur.

She stumbled into another ally, now looking for some kind of support to carry with her. Instincts telling her to push on to go somewhere... Somewhere only she knew from the team.

Aha, an old pipe will do. 

Quivering hands took a hold of it. Setting it upright on the ground, she cautiously got herself up. The pain was pulsing throughout her small body. Her whimpers echo throughout the walls.

She stood upright again, then started to make her way there.

Almost. There.

The area was all too familiar with nostalgia, anticipation built up within her.


	2. Chapter 2

The large building, bigger than most around, rested just head.

Clink. Clink. Clink.

Sound from the pipe she used as a cane resonated through the streets, nobody was around. She was a bit relieved about that, she didn’t need any help or attention out here. The only light source in the night were the street lights on the sidewalk. Every step she took was an agonizing one. The blood down her throat making her cough every once in a while, she pushed it aside.

At least she stopped bleeding out, most of the remaining blood that stained her skin and uniform had dried. He let out labored breaths, the wound on her leg was throbbing. She’ll hold on for a while longer, just for this.

A weak smile was placed on her face as she now stood in front of the massive doors.

The local concert hall, after hours time.

She opened the door and went inside.

The auditorium was dimly lit, a few lights only cascading its soft brilliance on the stage. It was completely empty and quiet but was a rather modern place, there were seats all around, even some rows along the walls.

A sudden pang of memories came rushing into her head and felt lightheaded.

The woman closed her eyes.

•••

“Mom, Dad! Look!” The child excitedly clapped at the concluding performance held in the same hall.

Her bright, innocent, brown eyes shimmered with delight and joy. The orchestra and its music had blown her away!

Her parents looked at her with happiness.  
“Yes sweetie, it was amazing!” Her mother gave a bright smile to her. “Indeed it was, but there’s more to come! Look there, Chris!” Her father exclaimed and gestured his hand to a lone man now walking up the stairs leading to the stage.

The girl followed his view of what he was mentioning it. She was a bit confused but was thrilled at the same time. 

All the members of the orchestra had left the stage, except for someone sitting at the piano and the man walking further up the stage.

He sat down on the top, at what looks like another piano. Though this one was more complex, many more keys are present on a similar instrument. What really caught her eye, is that she noticed he was in the middle of massive rows of pipes in different sizes. “Wow!” She said.

“Oh, just you hold on, dear. I’m sure you’ll like what happens next!” Her mother was also excited with her.

Directing her attention back up the stage, everyone silenced down.

Then, the music began to resonate throughout the large auditorium. Thunderous, multiple notes coming from the tremendous organ left her in awe. The sound, the way how the notes flowed together to make a harmonious synchronization. The pianist joined in on its quiet parts. The young girl, who is learning the piano, didn’t realize that it complimented the organ so well. It really was the best of both worlds.

Soon, the performance came to an end. Her parents carefully lead her out from the crowd and the auditorium. They were ready to get in the car to be on their way home. 

“One day, I’ll play the organ. It would be nice to play such a wonderful instrument like that!” The girl exclaimed with glee. Her parents looked at her in surprise, but also with happiness. “But you are practicing the piano, sweetie. Are you sure you want to move up to a more grand instrument?” Her mother inquired.

“Yes, Mom! I feel like I can do it.” She responded.

“Hmm, I’ll see what we can do, Chris. Besides, we are always there to support you. Right, Vincent?” She smiles, turning to her husband. “Of course, Darling. Your mother and I will guide you to where you need and want to be.” He confirmed with a proud gleam in his eyes.

She beamed a wide smile to them, letting out an audible gasp. “Yay! Thank you, Mom, Dad!” She hugged them both, while they hugged their daughter back.

The family got in the car, continuing a conversation, and drove home for the night.

•••

She opened her eyes, looking into the same auditorium that she was in that day, and came back over and over again all those years ago. She let out a sigh.

She remembered when she was innocent and carefree, this place was the embodiment of that childlike nature she had. Well, she has always been a child at heart, but she was wondering if she had any of it left.

Gliding her free hand along the aisles of benches and chairs, she took in the clean smell it always had. Though now, she was staggering to the nurses office. Her injuries needed to be cleaned and treated.

She found the office towards the back hallways, and got to work. Seething pain came back as she nursed her wounds, hands violently shaking as she bandaged herself up. She bit her lip to hold back surfacing yelps of agony. After her job was done, she gave herself several injections of pain killers. She didn’t care about how much she needed, just anything to make the throbbing go away.

With her body now at least taken care of, the woman made her way over to the huge room, she wasn’t done here yet.


	3. Chapter 3

Slowly making her way through the aisles, she headed towards the stage. Still being cautious of her injuries, she leaned against the benches.

She finally made it, though the stairs were tedious to move through.

The bench of the organ’s console sat in front of her, clean and tidy as ever. It’s three rows of manuals and its stops are perfectly organized.

The woman stared at it, longingly in her one right eye, her left patched up from a wound on top of it. A tear rolled down her cheek.

“I... I can still play.” She chokes out. “Just, one more time. For you... Mom, Dad.”

Silence.

Then, she turns away.

“No... I don’t deserve this. How can one enjoy what they love to do when all they can do is destroy what they love..?”

Her own words only hurt her more, she knew what she meant. That damn stone. It made her into a destructive beast.

Reality. There are many ways to depict it, it could be as simple, or complex as one could make it out to be. But for this particular woman, it was a hellish nightmare. Multiverses within her grip, bending at her very will and thoughts, anything she wished could and can be granted into her hands. One could only wish to obtain such power. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that it seems.

Yet, without the stone, her full potential is a mystery.

The thought of that terrifies her. The thought of her holding that stone once again... is haunting.

But what can one do when fate is inevitable?

“Well, if whatever happens to me... It happens...”

She carefully takes a seat on the bench. Her bruised, slender hands brushing over the keys, and her feet getting in position over the bottom keys, making sure of the correct placement.

She pulled out all of the stops to get the tune she was looking for. D Minor, that will do. Bach’s Toccata and Fugue. Basic, but iconic.

A moment of reflection set in. “One. Last. Time.” She whispered. An image of her proud parents flashed in her mind. “You guys were the only ones that believed that I could do it... This is for you.”

Her fingers started to dance on the keys, playing the slow, beginning verse. The familiar, thunderous notes flowing throughout the vast room are heard again after so long. Feeling the vibrations in her seat and the waves of synchronized notes coming together bring back the sliver of happiness she so deeply craved.

Soon after, however, the notes slowly became jarred... Incoherent. Her muscles tensed, the shortness of breath, and teeth grinding. Discord now resonates into the auditorium. Her thoughts now becoming disturbed. Flashes of the stone, when she first encountered it, the dreams of parallel timelines she saw came crawling back into her mind. She was at least careful not to full-on smash her hands into the manuals, but her arms were coursing around madly. Her feet controlling the lower notes, now only making claps of noise.

The tears started to resurface, the anxiety and doubt, the nightmares. Just what she needed.

“Get out of my head. Get out of my head. Get. Out. Of. My. HEAD!” With a wail of frustration, her concluding notes used all of her fingers pressing down of randomized keys. The indescribable discordance made its way all throughout the area. She cried out her heart's content with the bellowing noise, all sense was thrown away at the moment.

Letting go of the keys finally, the reverb of the sound bounced off the walls for a few seconds.

Taking deep breaths, she writhed away from the bench. Forgetting how weak she actually was, she stumbled onto the floor.  
Holding her head low, and arms holding herself up, she started to sob.

Several minutes of the existential crisis had clouded her judgment, but she eventually recollected her thoughts and sense of surroundings. 

Her throat now sore from sorrowful cries, she got up on her feet. Wiping the remaining tears away, she looked at the instrument for a moment.

“I... I’m sorry... I cannot enjoy this. No matter how much I desire it. I’m not... Stable, or strong enough.” She told herself, voice hoarse.

“Heh... I probably never will be.”

Shaking her head, she turns to the entrance.

But, apparently, someone was already standing there.

Her heart feels like it stops, eyes widening now in fear and surprise.

“Huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s lousy for a fic, I admit. But I’m quite happy I decided to have this saved for some time. Looking back on old stories definitely helps out with improvements! If you’ve read up this far, I greatly appreciate it. Happy writing!


End file.
